Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III have been floated as possible trade targets for the Oklahoma City Thunder after injuries to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace, ESPN has reported.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon reported on Friday (US time) that multiple executives identified the New Orleans Pelicans as a potential trade partner if Thunder general manager Sam Presti decides to make a move.
Williams suffered a fractured left fibula and a dislocated ankle, while Wallace has a labrum tear. ESPN reported that the Thunder are not ruling out either player for the season, but both face lengthy recoveries.
The price for Murphy
The Pelicans have set a high asking price for Murphy in recent trade cycles, making it clear multiple first-round picks would need to be involved, according to league sources cited by ESPN.
Murphy is earning US$27 million this season and is due a total of US$60 million over the next two years, which ESPN said would force the Thunder to include a core player to make the salaries match.
Jones is paid US$14.9 million this season before a three-year, US$67.6 million extension kicks in.
Read more: Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace to Undergo Surgery as Thunder Reel
Rival teams split on Jones
“When Jones signed that extension, his value changed,” one Western Conference executive told ESPN, adding that it was “a negative value contract to us”.
Sacramento Kings wing Nique Clifford was also suggested by a few league sources as a candidate, ESPN reported, although the Kings are telling people they value Clifford and do not feel compelled to trade him.
Why the Thunder may wait
Windhorst wrote that Presti, in his 19th year in the job, was not going to panic. Most players who signed new contracts do not become eligible to be traded until 15 December, when the trade market typically opens.
“Are you really going to mortgage two or three years to try to salvage one year? That doesn’t make sense,” a Western Conference scout said.
Read more: Cason Wallace Agrees Five-Year, $139m Thunder Extension
Oklahoma City also face a looming payroll squeeze, with ESPN reporting their 2027-28 payroll is projected to pass US$500 million including luxury taxes. The Thunder must decide by Monday (US time) on contract options for Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topic.
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